Soon-to-rise Bulacan airport an ally for travelers — Clark International Airport manager
MANILA, Philippines — The Clark International Airport will not see the upcoming Bulacan airport as a competitor but an ally for them to cut the air traffic in Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
In an interview with Philstar.com at a recent Taiwan trip, Corporate Communications head Teri Flores said their main market is the travelers from Northern and Central Luzon.
“'Yung Clark Internation Airport kasi is mapadali 'yung biyahe ng mga tao sa Northern and Central Luzon. Kahit nong umpisa pa, 'yon talaga ang focus ng market. Dagdag pa natin 'yung Northern part ng Quezon City. Essentially, hindi talaga siya para kalabanin ang NAIA or ang Bulacan Airport but to offer more choices coming from the northern region,” Flores said.
Flores also said that the country badly needed an additional international airport in Luzon as travelers surge after the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Yung travel industry natin grabe 'yung surge niya. Nakikita na may need talaga ang country natin for more airports and si Clark, ang ginagamit kasi nating tagline is ‘Hassle-free and seamless travel.’ Ang focus talaga namin ay mabilis na transistion ng mga taong sasakay sa eroplano, 'yung hindi sila matagal na pipila, mga komportable at international level na amenities,” she said.
Taipei-based carrier Starlux Airlines recently launched the Clark International Airport (CRK) to Taipei route, which offers daily flights starting at P11,900.
Manila travelers can ride a point-to-point bus from Trinoma Mall in Quezon City to Clark International Airport for a comfortable ride.
Starlux operates an Airbus A321 neo on the flight from Taipei to Clark. The aircraft is configured in a two-class layout, with eight fully-flat business class seats in a 2-2 configuration and 180 seats in Economy Class 3-3 setup. For the North American transit market, the airlines provides greater convenience with significantly reduced travel time.
"Starlux's presence in CRK is eagerly anticipated by travelers to and from Taipei, most especially in these times when leisure and business travelers are seeking the most delightful experiences. Our new airport terminal provides a timely offer with new amenities and conveniences that suit their needs,'' said Luzon International Premiere Airport Development (LIPAD) Corporation Chief Executive Officer Noel Manankil.
LIPAD, the consortium that operates CRK, has provided a new, sprawling terminal for CRK’s growing number of passengers who seek hassle-free travel and options to reach destinations with considerable ease. The flight arrives in CRK at 9:45 a.m. and departs at 10:45 a.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays. The Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays flights arrive at 7:25 p.m. and depart at 8:25 p.m. Travel time is approximately two hours.
Starlux (www.starluxairlines.com) currently flies to 17 destinations, including Los Angeles, Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka, Okinawa, Sapporo, Sendai, Macau, Penang, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Hanoi, Manila, and Cebu. The fleet also continues to grow, with a current count of 20 aircrafts, including 13 A321neos, four A330neos, and three A350s. The fourth A350 is expected to be delivered by the end of the year. With the addition of Starlux, CRK now has eight foreign and five Philippine-based airlines servicing 10 international and 10 local destinations.
